Bourbonette J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS

In this age of synthetic surfaces, it’s been rather common to see horses rise
from relative obscurity to win races of great prestige. Saturday’s $150,000
Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at Turfway Park isn’t quite that caliber of race, but we
feel it is ripe for the taking by a three-year-old filly who earlier this year
was running in maiden claiming races.

HOT CHA CHA (Cactus Ridge), who graduated for a $50,000 tag on January 9, is
our choice to upset this one-mile feature. After that initial score, she stepped
up to face allowance/optional claiming foes and finished a decent fourth after
conceding a lot of ground early. She fared better when stretching out for the
first time in her next start, rallying from seventh to win by a half-length
while earning a competitive 93 BRIS Speed rating and a strong 100 Late Pace
rating. There are at least three speed types in this race, and Hot Cha Cha might
be the one to benefit from a contested early pace.

STEP OUT SMARTLY (Came Home) trailed throughout in the March 1 Davona Dale S.
(G2), her first race in more than two months. It was easily the worst
performance of her four-race career, but the Rusty Arnold-trained miss is
certainly capable of better. She was a maiden winner at the Churchill fall meet
then scored a come-from-behind win in the six-furlong Gowell S. over this same
track. The barn is hot at the current meet and we like her chances to rebound.

FITZ JUST RIGHT (Seattle Fitz [Arg]), the likely favorite, is three-for-four
and just exits a win in the Ocala Breeders’ Sale Championship S. on synthetic.
She is plenty fast and arguably the most naturally talented of this group, but
how she will handle the added pace pressure is anyone’s guess. The one time she
was forced to rally from off the pace, the Kiaran McLaughlin charge faded to
fourth after making a stretch bid in the Busanda S.

WALLOON (Alphabet Soup) is another local stakes winner, heroine of the
Valdale S. over this same course and distance in her most recent start. She has
a tendency, however, to run fast early and slow late and we prefer those capable
of a stronger closing kick. OCULUNA (Century City [Ire]) and INSTRUMENTALIST
(Bernstein) both figure to show early zip, perhaps enough to cancel each other
out and also hinder Fitz Just Right, who has a bit more class. Another speed
possibility is HONCHIS’N PONCHIS (City Zip), who has found herself in a stalking
mode in her last several sprint attempts.

The rest of the field has some work to do. FOXY BAILEY (Ocean Terrace) was
third to Fitz Just Right at Ocala last time and makes a rare two-turn appearance
here. STONE LEGACY (Birdstone) is a solid fit at the distance, but remains
eligible for a first-level allowance and does not possess a stellar synthetic
record. SUPER PONI (Volponi) has missed the board in seven of her 11 starts,
including a decisive loss in the Valdale last time.